Natural products as corrosion inhibitor for metals in corrosive media - A review

The use of inhibitors for the control of corrosion of metals and alloys which are in contact with aggressive environment is an accepted practice. Large numbers of organic compounds were studied and are being studied to investigate their corrosion inhibition potential. All these studies reveal that organic compounds especially those with N, S and O showed significant inhibition efficiency. But, unfortunately most of these compounds are not only expensive but also toxic to living beings. It is needless to point out the importance of cheap, safe inhibitors of corrosion. Plant extracts have become important as an environmentally acceptable, readily available and renewable source for wide range of inhibitors. They are the rich sources of ingredients which have very high inhibition efficiency. This article gives a vivid account of natural products which are used as corrosion inhibitors for various metal and alloys in aggressive media. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.